Railcard renewal expiry date dispute

[jkdd77]

I've had a DSB railcard for many years (hearing loss), and whenever I've previously renewed, the date on the "new" railcard has always been 1 or, as the case may be, 3 years after the expiry of the existing railcard.

Earlier this month, a month prior to the expiry of my still-valid railcard, I received an e-mail inviting me to apply for a renewed railcard, expressly stating in the text of the e-mail that the new railcard would be valid from the day after my existing railcard expires. The exact quote is "You don't need to wait for your Railcard to expire to renew. Your new Railcard will be valid from the day after your current one expires."

Not wanting to forget, and hence risk inadvertently travelling without a valid railcard, I immediately went online using the link provided for renewals and renewed my railcard (1 year), and it seemed to go well.

However, when I received the new railcard, it was dated a few days after issue, meaning I've lost three weeks of validity.

I complained on the Railcard website, politely requesting that I be issued a correctly dated railcard, and was refused, on the grounds that "their systems do not allow this" and "I purchased rather than renewed my railcard". This, to the best of my recollection, is not true, and, even if it were true, I would argue that, since I based my railcard purchase timing decision specifically on the advertising guaranteeing the retention of the expiry date, and would not have purchased at this time but for this false advertising (but instead would have waited until closer to the renewal date), I am protected by the Consumer Rights Act such that the promise made in the advertising is effectively incorporated into the contract so formed such that the railcard must be issued with the promised expiry date.

I would greatly welcome advice on how best to pursue this complaint further, such that I be issued a correctly dated railcard without the loss of three weeks validity. I imagine that I am not the only one affected by this.

 

[SussexMan]

The most likely scenario is that you did inadvertently purchase a new one rather than renewing your old one. That's not to say that technology can't go wrong but you seem to indicate that this might be a possibility. Sometimes pursuing a complaint and the effort involved needs to be weighed up against the £1.15 (or £1.03 if a three year was bought) it has cost you.

 

[WesternLancer]

I've had a DSB railcard for many years (hearing loss), and whenever I've previously renewed, the date on the "new" railcard has always been 1 or, as the case may be, 3 years after the expiry of the existing railcard.

Earlier this month, a month prior to the expiry of my still-valid railcard, I received an e-mail inviting me to apply for a renewed railcard, expressly stating in the text of the e-mail that the new railcard would be valid from the day after my existing railcard expires. The exact quote is "You don't need to wait for your Railcard to expire to renew. Your new Railcard will be valid from the day after your current one expires."

Not wanting to forget, and hence risk inadvertently travelling without a valid railcard, I immediately went online using the link provided for renewals and renewed my railcard (1 year), and it seemed to go well.

However, when I received the new railcard, it was dated a few days after issue, meaning I've lost three weeks of validity.

I complained on the Railcard website, politely requesting that I be issued a correctly dated railcard, and was refused, on the grounds that "their systems do not allow this" and "I purchased rather than renewed my railcard". This, to the best of my recollection, is not true, and, even if it were true, I would argue that, since I based my railcard purchase timing decision specifically on the advertising guaranteeing the retention of the expiry date, and would not have purchased at this time but for this false advertising (but instead would have waited until closer to the renewal date), I am protected by the Consumer Rights Act such that the promise made in the advertising is effectively incorporated into the contract so formed such that the railcard must be issued with the promised expiry date.

I would greatly welcome advice on how best to pursue this complaint further, such that I be issued a correctly dated railcard without the loss of three weeks validity. I imagine that I am not the only one affected by this.

You could ring them to see if it can be sorted. I've found the staff who deal with disabled railcards very good. But is it worth it?

 

[RunawayTrain]

The most likely scenario is that you did inadvertently purchase a new one rather than renewing your old one. That's not to say that technology can't go wrong but you seem to indicate that this might be a possibility. Sometimes pursuing a complaint and the effort involved needs to be weighed up against the £1.15 (or £1.03 if a three year was bought) it has cost you.

Yes, is this a battle worth fighting?

 

[jkdd77]

Thanks all for the disinterested advice, both as to calling their helpline and as to what likely happened in practice. My hearing impairment means that I struggle with phone calls, and doubt that, having made a formal decision not to budge, they would change it on the strength of a phone call.

I didn't take screenshots at the time, because I had no reason to suspect I needed to, but seem to recall that I logged in using the link specifically provided for renewals, and was then told that, in order to renew I needed to re-register on the "new" railcard site, which I did. I dimly recall that I paid my fee on the "new" site, which implies that I may have "bought" rather than "renewed" my railcard, albeit that my calm and considered view is that, even if true, this was poor and misleading website design, and further that I was reasonably entitled under all the circumstances to presume that the railcard sold would be dated one year after the expiry of the old one and to purchase on this basis.

I'm not foolish enough or fanatical enough to go to court over an alleged debt approximating to £1.15 (even if I suspect the "railway" would happily prosecute me over an accidental £1.15 underpayment, but that's another story...) I may, however, send a short e-mail to Transport Focus, in the hope of at least making things clearer for future purchasers, albeit without any great expectations of success.

Whilst I recognise the futility of getting angry/ emotional, and further recognise how little this matters in the grand scheme of things, I do feel that I've been penalised for trying to do the right thing by (trying to) renew well in advance...

 

[gray1404]

I had the exact same problem as the OP at the end of August. I certainly carried out a renewal. When I phoned them the agent I spoke to said they are having system issues (issuing as new railcard rather then renewal). She asked me to cut the existing railcard in half and email a photo of it while I was on the phone. She then processed a new railcard with correct expiry date while I was on the phone.

 

[philthetube]

disinterested advice, I am surprised disinterested people bother to post.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

disinterested advice, I am surprised disinterested people bother to post.

No, disinterested is good. See, for example, https://www.grammarly.com/blog/disinterested-uninterested/:

• Disinterested means “without a vested interest.”
• Uninterested means “not showing interest.”

it’s very nice of the OP to rate the advice here so highly.

 

[Realfish]

I'm not foolish enough or fanatical enough to go to court over an alleged debt approximating to £1.15.....I may, however, send a short e-mail to Transport Focus, in the hope of at least making things clearer for future purchasers, albeit without any great expectations of success.

I agree with this. While £1.15 might seem a piddling amount, the OP (and Gray1404, post #6) have identified a procedural / system failure that needs to be addressed. Worse the Railcard team appear, 'uninterested'. I'm glad he bothered to post

 

[gray1404]

Yes the agent on the phone I spoke to was well aware of the issue. I called having waited a while for a reply for an email I sent about it. When I did eventually receive an email reply the (different) agent understand the issue their systems are having and she could see her colleague had resolved the issue already.

 

[Vespa]

I don't recall ever having an issue renewing my DSB card and always gone for a 3 year card.

You could complain again and request they reinstate the missing 3 weeks or wait til your card expires and then renew.

In the grand scheme of things there's more important things to worry about.

My passport has expired in March but haven't rushed to renew it as those months will only be wasted because I can't travel during lockdown.
I would imagine it would be the same for your card.

Embrace the suck and move on.

 

[philthetube]

Thanks all for the disinterested advice, both as to calling their helpline and as to what likely happened in practice. My hearing impairment means that I struggle with phone calls, and doubt that, having made a formal decision not to budge, they would change it on the strength of a phone call.

disinterested advice, I am surprised disinterested people bother to post.

Apologies for my mistake.

 

[David Goddard]

I personally would feel more hard done by if I had renewed a railcard and then did not use it for a while. For this reason I never renew, just let the old one out and then buy a new one when I next travel. Yes it means having to remember to do it, but it does mean I have not wasted several months of validity.

 

[krus_aragon]

I personally would feel more hard done by if I had renewed a railcard and then did not use it for a while. For this reason I never renew, just let the old one out and then buy a new one when I next travel. Yes it means having to remember to do it, but it does mean I have not wasted several months of validity.

Or like I did: bought a railcard last winter, and then spent March onwards watching the validity expire while avoiding all non-essential travel.